The present invention relates generally to a Pocket Personal Computer (PPC) and more particularly, to a PPC having improved battery compartment enclosing structures.
A pocket personal computer (PPC) 1, as seen in FIG. 1, is a compact, hand-held electrical device which is powered by batteries. A PPC normally has, at a front face thereof, a display panel 3, four function buttons 5a-5d, a microphone 7, and an indication light 9. As seen in FIG. 2, the PPC 1 further has, at a rear face thereof, a slot 11 for containing a pen 13, a primary battery compartment 17 with a cap 19 for accommodating a battery (not shown) as a primary power source, and a secondary battery compartment 21 with a cap 23 for accommodating another battery (not shown) as an auxiliary power source.
Conventionally, there are guiding grooves 17a, 17b provided along lateral sides of the primary battery compartment 17 and there is a engaging recess 17c provided a front side of the primary battery compartment 17. The cap 19 has protrusions 19a, 19b (only 19b is shown) provided along its lateral sides and a latch tongue 19c provided at a front side thereof such that the cap 19 is capable of sliding over the primary battery compartment 17 with the protrusions 19a, 19b engaging with the grooves 17a, 17b and is retained in a closed position by means of an engagement between the engaging recess 17c and the latch tongue 19c so as to enclose the primary battery compartment 17. When the cap 19 needs to be removed, a force is applied in a direction indicated by arrow D to disengage the latch tongue 19c from the recess 17c. The secondary battery compartment 21 and the cap 23 have a structure similar to that of the primary battery compartment 17 and the cap 19.
This type of structure is suffering a drawback. That is, the cap may be accidentally opened while an external force is unintentionally applied to the cap in a the direction D and this will cause the battery dropping out from the battery compartment and as a result cause a power failure of the PPC.
One object of the present invention is to provide a reliable battery compartment enclosing structure which is capable of eliminating the drawback mentioned above.
According to one aspect of the present invention, in a pocket personal computer having a pen, a battery compartment and a battery compartment cap, the battery compartment is defined in a rear face of the pocket personal computer and has a first positioning means provided at a first side wall of the compartment, a first locking means provided at a second side wall of the compartment which is opposite to the first side wall, and an unlocking means provided at the second side wall; and the battery compartment cap has a second positioning means provided at a rear end thereof to removably engage with the first position means and a second locking means provided at a front end thereof to cooperate with the first locking means so as to lock the battery compartment cap in position to enclose the battery compartment, wherein the unlocking means can be operated by the pen to release the second locking means from the first locking means.
In one embodiment of the present application, the first positioning means comprises at least one openings and the second positioning means comprises at least one protrusions which can be received in the openings as the cap is positioned over the compartment. The first locking means comprises a bulge inwardly formed on an inner face of the second side wall which has a slanted upper face and a flat lower face. The second locking means comprises a latch downwardly formed at the front end of the cap and the latch has a slanted lower end and a depressed neck portion to cooperate with the bulge of the first locking means. The unlocking means comprises a through hole formed in the second side wall of the compartment. The through hole is arranged and sized such that a tip portion of the pen may extend therethrough to cause the second locking disengage from the first locking means.
According to another aspect of the present invention, in a pocket personal computer having a pen, a battery compartment and a battery compartment cap, the battery compartment is defined in a rear face of the pocket personal computer and has an axis formed at one side thereof; the battery compartment cap has a connecting means formed at a first end thereof for pivotally connecting to the axis and a first locking means formed at a second end thereof which is opposite to the first end; and a second locking means arranged at a position of the rear face of the pocket personal computer such that when the cap is pivoted to a position enclosing the compartment an engagement between the first and the second locking means can lock the cap in position and shaped such that the locking engagement may be disengaged by the pen.
In one embodiment of the present invention, the connecting means comprises a connecting arm in a form of a hook for pivotally connecting to the axis and the battery compartment cap thus can be rotated from an opened position to a closed position. The first locking means comprises a latch extending from a second end of the battery compartment cap. The latch has a peg vertically protruding upward from an upper face thereof and the peg has a rearward slanted upper face. The second locking means comprises a through hole defined in the rear face of the pocket personal computer which can receive the peg while the battery compartment cap is rotated to the closed position so as to lock the battery compartment cap in position and enclose the battery compartment.